This exhibit of student work, curated by Kenan Graduate Arts Fellow Caitlin Margaret Kelly, explores, critiques, and/or celebrates the notion of the iconic image in human rights issues as seen in our news media. It aims to call attention to the dialog on these issues and creates a space for reflection and engagement.

The term “visual economy” in art is commonly defined as a minimalist approach. But, what happens when this search for simplicity becomes a standard for representation of human rights? Often one iconic image comes to define events, groups or issues, boiling down the complexity into a singular representation that we grab onto as the “right” image. For example, how has the 1984 National Geographic cover image photographed by Steve McCurry of then – refugee Sharbat Gula, known as “the Afghan girl” come to represent – even today in Western culture-a population of Afghan women? It is arguably one of the iconic images of the 20th century, forever referential.